Receptacle



United States Patent O 3,428,204 RECEPTACLE James D. Wilson, Long Beach, Calif., assignor to Banner Metals, Inc., Compton, Calif., a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 674,431 U.S. Cl. 220-4 5 Claims Int. Cl. B6Sd 7/00, 7/42 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved receptacle is described in the following specification which is composed of a metal frame and replaceable plastic panels. The receptacle is intended for a variety of uses, including, for example, use as a container for citrus fruits; as a receptacle for machine parts, and the like as such parts are dipped, for example, in a corrosive fluid for cleaning purposes; for use in automatic warehouses; and for a variety of other uses which require a sturdy and strong receptacle capable of withstanding rough handling.

Background of the invention In many applications, a receptacle is required which may be dipped, for example, together with its contents in an acid bath, or in a bath containing other types of corrosive iluid, for cleaning the contents, or for other purposes. This has created problems, in that when a metal receptacle is used for that purpose, a destructive electrolytic action may be created between the receptacle and its contents, when the contents are of a different metal, due to the electrolytic action of the corrosive fluid.

For example, a stainless steel receptacle has a tendency to set up electrolytic action when used in conjunction with, for example, aluminum parts. By the same token, an aluminum receptacle has a tendency to set up such destructive electrolytic action when its contents are steel parts. It is important, therefore, if the receptacle is to have other than limited uses, that it be constructed so that its entire interior surface is composed of a non-metallic material. With such a construction, any metallic part can be carried in the receptacle for corrosive cleaning purposes, without raising the likelihood of lthe creation of destructive electrolytic action between the metal parts and the receptacle itself.

However, it is not feasible to construct a receptacle entirely of plastic material when rough usage is to be encountered, or when excessively heavy loads are to be carried. This is because most plastic materials do not have the strength to withstand the stresses exerted by the heavy loads, and the rough usage normally encountered when such receptacles are used, for example, in automatic or manual warehouses. Moreover, receptacles constructed of plastic coated wire are usually not satisfactory, since there is a likelihood of chipping of the plastic. Any such chipping would expose the metal wire, and this would require costly repairs or replacements, to avoid the possibility of resulting electrolytic action between the exposed wire and metallic parts carried by the receptacle.

The present invention provides a receptacle which will hold any type of metal part, and which will permit the part to be dipped, for example, in a corrosive chemical bath for cleaning purposes, without any likelihood of destructive electrolytic action arising between the part and the material forming the receptacle. The receptacle of the invention, moreover, is strong and sturdy. In fact, constructed embodiments of the invention have exhibited a capability of carrying loads, for example, up to several thousand pounds.

ICC

The aforesaid constructed embodiment of the invention is composed of a frame formed of stainless steel wires. The frame imparts the required strength to the receptacle, and the stainless steel wires tend to resist the corrosive action of all known chemical solutions. The receptacles of the invention are also composed of replaceable plastic panels which are snapped into the frame, and which entirely cover the internal surface of the frame, so that there is no tendency for any parts carried in the reecptacle actually to contact the metallic frame.

The plastic inserts may be composed, for example, of polypropylene, since that material has the desired resilient nature to permit the panels to be snapped into place in the frame; and since the material is not subject to corrosive attack -by any known chemicals. The plastic panels, as mentioned above, prevent any parts carried in the receptacle from coming into contact with the frame, thus preventing the occurrence of the aforesaid destructive electrolytic action. Since the panels are removable, they may be easily replaced if damaged.

The plastic panels are preferably apertured so as to permit the free llow of a `corrosive cleaning uid into the interior of the receptacle, for example, when the receptacle is dipped into a -bath of the fluid. The panels are designed to lock with one another in such a way that any -force tending to move the panels outwardly merely tightens the interlocking relationship therebetween. The construction of 4the embodiment to be described is such that, in order to remove a plastic panel, it must be deformed inwardly.

Removable skids may also be provided, and these skids are constructed so that they too may be easily replaced if damaged. The skids serve to hold the receptacle up from its supporting surface to permit handling of the receptacle by the usual type of fork truck. The skids, moreover, are configured so that the receptacle can travel on roller conveyors, such as those used in automatic warehouses, either in a front-to-front or in a backto-front orientation.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE l is a perspective exploded representation of a receptacle constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial sectional view taken essentially in the direction of the arrow 2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE l.

Description of the illustrated embodimenti The receptacle, as shown in the accompanying drawing, is composed of a wire-formed frame which, in turn, may be made up of a plurality of stainless steel wires, or wires of other appropriate material. The frame is indicated generally as 10, and in the illustrated embodiment it forms a rectangular upright configuration so as to constitute a rectangular receptacle having a pair of end walls 12 and 14 and a pair of side walls 16 and 1-8.

The frame itself includes a plurality of upright wireformed posts 20 which extend in spaced parallel relationship along the side walls and end walls. The upright posts 20, as best shown in FIGURE 2, for example, are welded to a pair of horizontal wires 22 and 24, the latter wires extending along the top edge of each side wall and each end wall in a side-by-side relationship. The upright wireformed posts 20 are also welded to a further wire 26 which extends along the bottom edge of each of the side walls and end walls.

A further wire 28 is welded to the upright posts 20 and extends along the top edge of each of the side walls and end walls, as shown in FIGURE 2, for example, displaced down from the corresponding top wires 22, 24. Other pairs of wires such as the wires 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 are looped around the end posts 20 of each side wall and of each end wall; and these pairs extend horizontally along the length of each side wall and along each end wall in a spaced relationship, as shown in FIGURE 1. In addition, certain wires in the aforesaid horizontal pairs are looped around adjacent corner posts of the sides and end walls, so that the walls may be hinged together, to provide the receptacle.

A plurality of resilient plastic panels 50 formed, for example, of polypropylene, or of other suitable plastic material, are formed with the configuration shown, for example, in FIGURE 2. These resilient plastic panels, each has a top channel 52 and a bottom channel 54 extending along the upper edge and lower edge thereof. These channels are intended to snap around corresponding wires, such as the wires 28 and 32, 34 and 36, 38 and 40, and so on, so las to support the panels on the frame.

The iframe itself, as mentioned above, may be composed of stainless steel wires, or other suitable material. It will be appreciated that the panels 50 have portions which extend across the inner surface of the upright wires 20, and that vany tendency of the load in the receptacle to bulge the panels outwardly, merely presses them against the upright posts and at the same time, increases the locking relationship between the channels 52 and 54, and the corresponding wires. In order to remove a panel 50, it must be deformed inwardly, so as to permit the upper and lower channels to snap away from the corresponding supporting wires.

The construction of the illustrated receptacle is such that when the resilient plastic panels are in place, they completely enclose the inner surface of the frame, so that there is no part of the metal frame exposed to the interior of the receptacle. The panels themselves, insofar as the side and end Walls are concerned, may preferably extend the entire length of the side walls or end walls.

In order to support a plastic bottom deck 66 on the side and end walls, the side posts 20 extend down below the lowermost wire 26, and each post has a hook-shaped extremity 20a, as shown. These extremities extend through holes in the bottom deck 66 adjacent respective transverse reinforcing wires 64 and snap under a peripheral wire 60 which extends around the periphery of the bottom member 66. The bottom member, therefore, is held rmly in place under the side walls and end Walls.

The transverse Wires 64 of the bottom deck member extend from one side of the bottom to the other in spaced and parallel relationship, as do a corresponding plurality of longitudinal wires (such as the wire 65 in FIGURE 4), and these latter transverse Vand longitudinal wires are supported similarly to the corresponding wires of the sides and end walls, so as to receive the plastic panels, which make up the deck 66, in a removable snap engaging relationship. The bottom panels, likewise, may be composed of polypropylene, or other suitable resilient plastic material.

If desired, appropriate skids, such as shown as 70 in FIGURES 1 and 4, may be provided. These skids serve as a pallet for the receptacle, and may conveniently be formed of stainless steel. The skids have upright triangular shaped portions 72 and 74 having a series of notches at each apex. These notches receive the longitudinal bottom wires, such as the wire 65 shown in FIG- URE 4. The latter wires are looped, as shown in FIG- URE 4, to receive locking pins 76 so that the skids may be held in place by the locking pins, which extend between the wires 68 and the apex of each skid.

The invention provides, therefore, an improved receptacle suitable for the purposes described above. The receptacle may be composed, as mentioned above, of extruded resilient plastic panels composed of polypropylene, or other suitable plastic material. The panels, as described, are configured to snap over the supporting wires of the metal frame which, as mentioned, may be composed of stainless steel or other appropriate material.

What is claimed is:

1. A re-enforced receptacle having an inner surface which is immune to corrosive action to enable the receptacle to carry metal parts for dipping in a corrosive chemical `bath for cleaning purposes, without any likelihood of destructive electrolytic action between the parts and the material forming the receptacle, said receptacle including: a re-enforcing metal frame having a plurality of upright posts and further having metallic wires extending between said posts vand affixed thereto to define a top edge for said re-enforcing frame and a bottom edge for said re-enforcing frame, said frame having further wires affixed to and extending between said posts and displaced down from said top-edge and up from said bottom edge; `a plurality of removable resilient plastic panels each having a top channel and a bottom channel, said panels being supported on said frame in locking relationship with said frame and with one another and in snap engagement with corresponding pairs of said wires, said panels having portions extending across the inner surfaces of said posts and of said wires completely to enclose the inner surface of said metal re-enforcing frame so that no part of said metal frame is exposed to the interior of the receptacle, and a bottom deck for said receptacle composed of resilient plastic material supported in snap-engaging relationship on said frame.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said frame includes a plurality of transverse wires extending across the bottom thereof, and in which said 'bottom deck includes a plurality of separate panels supported in removable snap-engaging relationship by said transverse wires.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said frame has a rectangular configuration.

4. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said plastic panels and said plastic deck have apertures therein.

5. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said frame is composed of stainless steel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,987,378 1/ 1935 Tansley 220-84 X 3,072,281 1/1963 Reilly 220-19 X 3,265,240 8/ 1966 Cloyd 220-84 FOREIGN PATENTS 232,390 1/ 1961 Australia.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

G. E. LOWRANCE, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 220-83, 84 

